The Sorcerer's Gate

thirty-five

"I said... These flowers are for you."

"Alyx, I-" Aster internally started to panic. "I can't move." She was able to speak, but her entire body had stilled in position. Hypnosis or was it Compulsion?

"Relax, baby. I have a question for you. How did you know to come here this time?"

"What- What are you talking about?" Aster asked, unaware why he was able to move and she wasn't.

"How did you end up at Heronswood Castle?" Alyx pressed on, ignoring her pleas.

"Alyx- Inside- They-"

"Did you get some sort of message?"

She thought about the message at The Menage. She asked, "How did you? Did I tell you about that?"

"It doesn't matter. I'm the one who sent it. When you didn't show up on time, I couldn't help but go a little insane." He spoke manically and chuckled to himself. He walked close to her and brushed her hair back as he whispered, "At night, I wished over and over for you to come back."

She watched him with wide eyes as he cradled her face in his hands and said with a smile, "And here you are. You found me."

He pulled at the back pocket of his pants and slipped out a piece of notepaper. It appeared to be a newspaper clipping. He held it out to her so she could see. When she looked at the paper, it was blank.

"I- I don't understand," Aster said trying to look towards the window.

He stepped in front of her view again. He lifted his finger slightly over the paper and words appeared on the paper. Words she'd seen before.

Housekeeper Urgently Hiring!!!

Duties include:

Tending to the bedrooms, cleaning the dishes, completing the laundry, fixing the garden, etc.

Address: 5 Magnolia Avenue, Heron, Norvislair

"When you handed this paper to Elouise, she brought it to me confused as to why you would hand over a blank piece of paper to her. It was a blank piece of paper to anyone. Not to you," Alyx said.

He waved his finger again and the words shifted. They jumbled and some were anagrams. Some had extra useless letters that disappeared. The two letters of N in 'Magnolia Avenue' formed into the letter M.

The entire message now read:

F I N D M E T H E G A T E

I M H E R E C O M E H O M E

All of this was confusing to her. The Gate? What location was The Gate? It didn't make sense. It was terrifying that after all this time, Alyx had admitted to having some responsibility in delivering these messages to her. He had somehow got her to start working at Heronswood Castle. Aster had walked right into it. Did she walk right into Alyx's trap?

"Alyx, you're scaring me," she said. Her wide eyes blinked rapidly as he placed the paper back into his pocket.

"The first day you walked up the steps to the castle. That wasn't the first time you've been here. It's not even the second time."

"What? What are you talking about?"

He walked away from her peeking inside before he turned back to face her. "You know what they say... Third times the charm," he said as his mouth lifted into a tight grin.

"You're not making any sense."

"But, I will. Soon." Alyx spoke walking back up to her and held her cheeks in his palms.

She began to feel overwhelmed and terrified. She couldn't help the tears slipping from her eyes in frustration and fear.

"Shh. Baby, don't cry." He held onto her face and pressed her head close to his chest. He ran his hand down her hair combing it back. "We're going to be happy very soon." She remained still in his hold. He seemed sincere if she wasn't freaking out by what was going on.

He stepped away from her and she watched in her Hypnosis trance as he began to focus on the magic within himself. She watched in horror as his dark black eyes she had once known as black pits, black holes, black orbs shifted to dark blood moons. His body began to shift and contort. His hair from the top of his hairline to the back of his head. Once slicked black curls shifted to a moonlight, white shade. His body, once lean but muscular, now became more built, bigger and filled out.

Her mouth was agape at the entire different appearance of Alyx in front of her.

Aster could hear from outside that inside the Ballroom, a lone violinist began to play. She watched inside as the instrument played rapidly, terrifyingly. The two Grim Seekers had spelled the band to play a haunting tune. Other violinists joined in slowly. Aster could do nothing but watch in fear and immobility.

She watched as the Grim pulled forward two Sorcerers. Not just any Sorcerers, the Sorcerer Council. Urie and Yono. The man seemed to be freaking out and throwing things in search for Lyra, the third Sorcerer Council member who was not in sight, at least not to Aster. The woman held them suspended in place as the man walked around the room, scanning faces for Lyra.

"I've got to go in there now. Come with me. We can do this together," Alyx said, holding onto her face. It wasn't Alyx. He spoke like Alyx. He felt like Alyx. He didn't look like Alyx. She didn't know who Alyx was or who stood in front of her now.

"I don't know who you are," Aster said in a broken way as a tear slipped down her cheek. He stilled its descent as he blocked the path of the tear with his mouth. He kissed the wet drop and then wiped it to the side with his finger.

"They took everything from us. They deserve to die. Once they're dead, we'll be free." Alyx held her face in his hands speaking closely to her and sincerely.

Suddenly, there was a shift in the air. Aster could feel it. She knew Alyx felt it too as he slowly pulled himself away from her and peeked inside. His entire face changed. They watched as someone else walked into the Ballroom. The man was in a cloak like the rest of the Grim Seekers. He wore a hood but no mask. However, the hood covered his face. Aster couldn't get a good look at the man. By the sheer power of him, they could feel it in the walls, in the floorboards. He was strong. He was powerful. She watched as the two Grim Seekers seemed to mentally bow and respect him. He was their leader, Aster thought. Like a General?

"Fuck!" Alyx spat out.

Aster could tell he meant it this time. She could see The Firebird's rage in his eyes. This wasn't according to whatever plan Alyx had conjured up.

The General and the two Grim Seekers seemed to be awaiting someone. Alyx.

Aster put two and two together. She realized that the man inside had to be Samuel. Alyx's brother. The supposed General of a sector to Grim Seekers.

He grabbed at her and pulled her farther away from the window. She remained still as her body was lifted and dragged by Alyx.

"This isn't happening..." Alyx was trying to calm himself down. He was talking aloud to himself.

"Is that Samuel?" Aster asked with wide eyes.

"I can't protect you now that he's here. You have to stay here. I have to go with them. Someone told him my location. He can't know The Seer is alive," Alyx seemed to be desperate. "Are you hearing me?" He shook at her frozen body. "I can spell you to be invisible. Once I go with them and leave Heron, the Hypnosis will cease. Then, you run like Hell."

"I don't understand-" Aster was confused. He was throwing way too much information at her. She didn't understand.

"Listen to me, when you're free of the Hypnosis, run. I still believe this year will be our year," Alyx spoke softly but quickly to her. His red eyes were terrifying Aster. He pressed a single kiss to her forehead and casted an invisibility charm upon her. He was close to her face as she spoke, "I have loved you in every timeline."

Then, he disappeared in through the door to the veranda back into the Ballroom.